


Benjamin & Georgiana

by CatrinaSL



Series: 100 Ways to Say I Love You [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 100 ways to say i love you, Alcohol, Cake, Cuddling & Snuggling, Disappointment, Drunkenness, F/M, Flirting, Jealousy, Kiss and Tell, Kissing, Making Up, Matt Murdock is a Good Bro, SHIP DARCY LEWIS WITH ALL THE THINGS, Sharing, Suggestive Themes, Texting, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Withdrawal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-03-27 14:39:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 6,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13882986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatrinaSL/pseuds/CatrinaSL
Summary: Darcy and Foggy have found each other again, but will their busy lives of lawyering and bossing superheroes around (respectively) allow them to have an actual relationship?Sequel to Title Earned.





	1. Have Your Cake and Eat It

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Title Earned](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7670377) by [CatrinaSL](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatrinaSL/pseuds/CatrinaSL). 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foggy makes sure Darcy gets her due.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 11\. “You can have half.”

"Foggy, oh my god."

He looked up from the item on his desk and grinned at her. "I know, right?"

"Where did you get it?" she breathed in reverence, placing herself in one of the chairs in front of his desk to better admire it.

"Remember the Yates case? The bakery a couple of blocks away?"

Darcy frowned and tried to recall. Foggy and Matt took on so many cases, many of them tiny but of utmost importance to the clients, who could rarely pay with much more than good feelings and a strong handshake. "The... landlord was going to raise their rent, and...?"

Foggy nodded enthusiastically. "This is their payment. Well, part of it. I hooked them up with that accountant you suggested, and he's giving them a discount on their books, plus helping them learn to budget more effectively so they can get out of debt. That should help them with being able to pay us. With money. Eventually."

"That's... awesome," Darcy said, grinning at him.

Foggy grinned back. "And do you remember that day I was running around trying to find that document that had disappeared?"

Darcy made a face, searching her memory banks and coming up empty. It seemed to her like they lost lots of stuff around here. "No?"

"Really? That piece of paper you found and pried it out from between the bottom drawer and the inside edge of the filing cabinet?"

"Oh," Darcy said, the memory of laying on her side with a pair of tweezers coming back to her. "Yeah. That was a pain in the ass."

"That pain in the ass won the case for us," he informed her proudly.

Darcy blinked at him in disbelief. "Seriously?"

He grinned again and gestured to the magnificent confectionery perfection in front of him. "You can have half," he told her.

Her mouth fell open, and she hoped it wasn't watering  _ too _ much. Drooling on the desk would not be the most attractive thing she'd ever done.

"You're kidding me," she managed to say.

"You earned it," he reminded her. "Maybe this way you'll believe me when I thank you for coming to help out here whenever Jane is away."

Darcy rolled her eyes. "I believe you," she said. "Why else do you think I make you buy me drinks every time?"

"Oh, that was payment for your help?" Foggy asked, sounding innocent even though a grin was making its way across his face. "I thought that was just us dating."

She laughed. "Why can't it be both?"

"In that case..." he glanced out the door of his office to make sure neither Matt nor Karen was within earshot. "Why don't we share it tonight? At my place."

_ Finally. _ Darcy tried to keep her excitement covered with a teasing smile. "Okay."

Foggy gave her an identical smile. "Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/171797566058/have-your-cake-and-eat-it)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


	2. After You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy remembers what first drew her to Foggy (aside from the source of his nickname, of course).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 35\. “After you.”

"After you."

It was those two words that brought him to Darcy's attention. She was alone at theater camp, after being dragged there by her best friend and subsequently ditched by said friend. Everyone else she'd met was either full of themselves, rude, or both.

Which is why Franklin Nelson's gallantry at the door of the dining hall turned her head. It took Darcy all of three minutes to decide he was adorable. He made her laugh, he never bored her with long tales relating feats of his own prowess, and about two days later, he supported her decision to rock the stage manager position instead of trying to falsely flatter her into going for a place in the spotlight. 

So she shoved him behind the counselor's cabin. Y'know, for privacy.

It was only a kiss, but it left Darcy reeling.

"You okay there, Georgiana?" he asked when she finally opened her eyes.

"I'm okay, but... kinda foggy," she replied.

"Sorry about that," he said, but he wasn’t, because he kissed her again.

* * *

"Foggy!"

That scene came to Darcy's mind every time she heard someone call out to him. He had probably heard it enough to forget the original meaning.

She watched Karen cross from her desk to Foggy's office, and waited for him to look up so she could catch his eye. When he did, she smirked at him, the same smirk she used to give him from the wings during rehearsal. He'd gotten good at not blushing on stage, and Darcy could tell he was using the same techniques he'd developed at theater camp to hide what he was thinking from Karen.

Sure enough, as soon as she'd gone back to her desk, Foggy got up, wandered over (convincingly nonchalant), and leaned on the door frame of the conference room, where Darcy was working.

He eyed her for a moment (and she eyed him right back), and then he said, "I was thinking of cutting out early."

Darcy slammed the laptop closed. "I thought you'd never ask."

She grabbed her bag and her phone, and he stepped back from the doorway, making a little hand gesture to usher her out. "After you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/172624781523/after-you)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


	3. Kiss and Tell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foggy kisses Darcy so she'll have something to tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 41\. “Go back to sleep.”

Darcy scowled at the not-quite-as-dark-as-she-would-have-liked and swatted at her phone, the source of the flashing light. She knew what the notification was for: it would be a text from Jane, all in caps. "I'M BACK, I'M BACK, I'M BACK!!!!!"

As much as Darcy had missed Jane, she wasn't as happy as she might have been. First of all, there was that pesky 4 am text. Secondly, it meant that she would be back in the lab that day instead of in the conference room at Nelson & Murdock, communicating with Foggy using only flirtatious glances.

She sighed as she stared at the blinking light, wondering if she could make it go away just by wishing.

She couldn't.

Foggy groaned in his sleep, probably protesting the unwelcome light, and rolled over, wrapping his arms around Darcy and pressing his face into her back.

"Don't go," he mumbled.

"Shh," Darcy told him. "Go back to sleep."

He mumbled something else and kissed her shoulder blade.

_Maybe a 4 am text_ **_is_** _good for something, after all._

Later (much later), Darcy tugged the sheet back over herself, tried to catch her breath, and decided that she probably ought to check that text.

"Oh," she said, as Foggy snuggled up next to her. "It's not from Jane, it's from Steve."

"Steve?" Foggy repeated, a hint of jealousy mixing in with the curiosity in his tone.

"Captain America," Darcy told him, then laughed, shoving at his shoulder. "Get off me. Sweaty cuddles are the worst."

She saw Foggy grin at her from the light of her phone. "You weren't complaining about sweaty cuddles a minute ago," he reminded her, but rolled back over onto his side of the bed and said casually, "What's he say?"

"Just that they're on their way back. Should get in later this afternoon, and I ought to be there to make sure Jane goes to bed instead of straight to the lab, but it sounds like I'm free until at least lunch."

"So when are you gonna tell all your fancy friends in the Tower about why you've been spending so much time in Hell's Kitchen?" he asked, propping himself on an elbow and pushing his hair out of his face.

"Probably soon," Darcy told him, and set her phone down on the bedside table. "I mean, I have something to tell, now."

"Georgiana Darcy," Foggy admonished, a smile in his voice. "I didn't take you for the type to kiss and tell." And then he kissed her, presumably so that she'd have something to tell.

"I'm not," she claimed, as soon as she was able. "I was talking about the cake."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/172827998008/kiss-and-tell)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


	4. Withdrawal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foggy misses Darcy a little _too_ much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 58\. “You don’t have to say anything.”

Foggy was going through Darcy Withdrawal. He knew it, but he didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to let it get in the way of his work, or his... after work (he couldn't really justify calling non-work time without Darcy his "life"), but it was difficult. She had been so busy with Avengers things recently that she'd hardly had time to text. He knew from something she'd said on the phone several days before that her boss was going out of town again that weekend, so he split his time between actual work and staring at his phone waiting for the "mind if I take over the conference room this week?" text from Darcy.

But it didn't come.

It hadn't come that morning, or before he'd sent Karen out to pick up lunch. I hadn't come during lunch, or right after, or even during the afternoon lull. Finally, as Matt was packing up his stuff to leave, Foggy finally gave in and texted  _ her _ .

What's up this weekend? Jane is speaking in Denmark, right?

Half a torturous hour later, her reply came:

Yeah i sent her and Erik off this morning

I hope they don't get into too much trouble without me

Or at least that Erik doesn't punch anyone important in the face

Foggy thought he might sound desperate if he straight out asked her when she would be coming by to help out with filing or maybe a booty call, so he waited a solid five minutes and texted:

So what are your plans, then?

She didn't text him back. 

So when Karen asked if he wanted to go to Josie's, he sighed, told himself he didn't care (even though he did), and went along.

Two hours later, after Karen had beaten him three times at pool and he'd had probably a few too many beers, he got a call from Darcy.

"Hi!" he answered, sounding more excited to hear from her than he wanted to.

"Aww, you guys are doing Josie's without me," was Darcy's disappointed reply.

"Yeah, well, you didn't text back," Foggy didn't mean to say. But he accidentally did.

Darcy sighed. "I know; I'm sorry, I miss you, too. Tony has us moving a bunch of stuff around, and it's taking forever. I want to come see you while Jane is gone, but I have no idea when we're going to finish this."

"Tony Stark," Foggy intoned drunkenly, making the millionaire's name sound like a dirty word (which to Foggy, at that moment, it was). "He's not the boss of you."

"True," Darcy said with another sigh, "but he is a scientist, and I'm in charge of bossing and babysitting scientists when they're not behaving, and Tony when his space isn't just right is like Jane on hour 20 of being awake: they could blow up the world, or pass out. I'm hoping for the latter. I kind of like the world. Or more the fact that I'm alive in it."

"Right, right," Foggy agreed, though he hadn't really followed.

"How many have you had?" Darcy wanted to know.

"Hopefully not enough to make a fool of myself, but I guess we'll see," Foggy said confidently.

"Okay, well, I'll call you the second I think I can get away. Some of the Avengers showed up from a super secret mission that neither you or I know about, so at least now I have some beefcakes to order around. Stark's bots are okay for moving stuff from Point A to Point B, but it's best when I have some obedient bodybuilder types who are happy to heed my every whim. At the very least it means I'm not moving heavy stuff by myself."

"Yeah," Foggy said. He wasn't sure he was 100% on board, though, actually. "So you've got Avengers at your beck and call."

"Yeah, it's pretty cool."

"Doing whatever you tell them."

"Uh, yep. I'm hoping it means I'll finish this faster and I can—"

"Even that Steve guy?"

Darcy paused. "I mean... yeah, he's one of several superheroes that are helping me out."

A sober Foggy would have noticed what kind of pause it was and shut his mouth, but he was Drunk Foggy, so he didn't. "He's a pretty good looking guy."

There was another pause, and a small sigh. "He is," Darcy agreed. "Did you want me to give him your number so you guys can go out on a date, or do you think it might be a better idea for you to go home and sleep this off? And call me later?"

Foggy frowned at his phone. What was that supposed to mean? "Yeah, sure, whatever you want," he said, a challenge in his voice. "I mean, obviously you have a lot to do and a lot of Avengers to lord over, so—"

"Foggy," Darcy began, a warning tone in her voice. "You're drunk. If you want me to give you the 'aesthetic appreciation' speech again, I will, but I don't know if it'll sink in since you’re obviously marinating in alcohol already. Steve is a co-worker, and yes, he's pretty, but—"

"It's fine," Foggy interrupted. "You don't have to say anything. I know. I understand. Why don't you just take your time with your attractive 'co-workers,' and if you feel like coming around here, you just let me know. Have a great time this week. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself plenty."

He waited for a moment for her to say something else, but realized after a while that the call had ended.

"Another round?" Karen asked, seeing that he was off the phone.

"No," Foggy said, setting his empty bottle on the bar. "I think I'm done."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/173423582818/withdrawal)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


	5. Fond Hearts, Disappointed Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A waterlogged Foggy arrives at the office to overhear a conversation between Darcy and Matt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 73\. “Take mine.”

Foggy and the weather had been in a rotten mood since his withdrawal-induced drunken assholery. He'd sent Darcy a peace offering on Sunday afternoon: one sober text that read:

Sorry for being a dick.

She hadn't texted back.

To make matters worse, he had court early Monday morning. On the way there, the sky decided to dump the metaphoric equivalent of his feelings, and of course, he'd forgotten his umbrella.

Being annoyed and waterlogged actually helped, because he was able to channel his anger into impassioned forceful arguments; the judge nodded approvingly, and he was pretty sure he'd inspired (or frightened, it was hard to tell) a couple of little old ladies on the jury.

He stomped back to the office, deciding not to buy an umbrella on the way there because the weather suited his mood. It wasn't like there was going to be anyone to impress at the office, anyway.

And then he opened the door to the sound of her voice.

"—sorry, my schedule's been crazy. I know I'm not necessary for the day to day stuff, but you guys must miss your conference room not being a total mess."  Foggy peeked inside and spotted her leaning on the frame of the door to Matt's office.

"We appreciate everything you do," Matt assured her. "Really. Any time you put into this is time Karen doesn't have to. Plus you make Foggy happy, so you're extra welcome."

Darcy let out a laugh, but Foggy could tell it wasn't real. She nodded. "Yeah, well, I should get back. If I leave Jane alone for too long, she might rip a hole in space/time."

"Right," Matt agreed, smiling. "Before you go... Are you and Foggy okay? If you don't mind me asking."

Darcy shifted her weight; clearly she  _ did _ mind him asking.

"You don't have to answer if—" Matt began.

"It's fine," Darcy told him. "I just... usually absence makes the heart grow fonder, y'know? But I guess if you mix alcohol in with that, all you're left with are the uncomfortable truths about your relationship."

Matt nodded in understanding. "Well... you two should just... talk. There's no denying the hearts are fond. But maybe do it without the absence and the alcohol?"

Darcy laughed, real this time. "Yeah," she said. "Thanks, Matt."

She noticed Foggy the moment she turned to leave. He was hard to miss, dripping all over the threshold of the office door.

"Hey," he offered tentatively. Then, "Forgot my umbrella."

The look in her eyes was hurt as she approached. He hadn't seen her that disappointed since he said goodbye to her at theater camp in high school. But that disappointment hadn’t been his fault; it was only due to the fact that they were pretty sure they’d never see each other again. And then she'd kissed him, right where he stood in line to get on the bus, in front of god and everybody.

She didn't kiss him as she drew even with him in the doorway. She just pressed her umbrella into his hands and said softly, "Take mine."

And then she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/173869565708/fond-hearts-disappointed-eyes)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


	6. Olive (Garden) Branch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foggy makes a fool of himself when Darcy calls (again), but she invites him out to dinner with her friends anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 78\. “Do you want to come too?”

Foggy could hardly believe it when his phone lit up with Darcy's face three evenings after she loaned him her umbrella. He hadn't ever gotten up the courage to text her again (even though Matt kept dropping hints Foggy refused to pick up). He thought nervously about what he might say to her as he stared at the photo they'd taken together just for his phone: her face, front and center, mock surprised, as he kissed her cheek.

The phone buzzed again, alerting him to the fact that if he didn't answer it, he'd lose his chance to talk to her, even though he had no idea what to say.

"Hey."

"Hi."

Silence.

Foggy was so happy to hear from her and so nervous about screwing things up—more—that he froze. 

Darcy cleared her throat. 

There was another beat of awkward nothing before she began, "So um—"

"I'm sorry," Foggy blurted. "I was drunk and I missed you and I was stupid and jealous and said stupid things and I won't—I mean I'll try not to—do it again, and I'm sorry."

"Uh..."

Foggy let his head hit his desk.  _ First Idiot, Then Idiot, a dating guide by Franklin Nelson _ .

"Thor decided Jane's gonna burn out if she doesn't take a night off so they invited me out to dinner," Darcy said, almost as though Foggy hadn't embarrassed himself. Again. "And I thought maybe... well, do you want to come too?"

He lifted his head off the desk, not sure he'd heard right. "Do I want to come?" he repeated. "To dinner? With you?"

There was a pause he couldn't decipher; it was either regret or an eye-rolling, 'duh.' "Yeah," she said finally. “Nothing fancy, probably just Italian or whatever, but—”

"Of course! I mean—of course! Yeah, want me to meet you, or—?"

"I can send a car for you. The office? Forty minutes?"

"Yeah, great, sounds great!" Foggy enthused, pawing at the pile of work he'd made good progress on. Pining was great fuel for burning the midnight oil. "I'll see you—See you soon."

Darcy hung up.

Foggy wondered if he could make it home to shower and back in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/174024790788/olive-garden-branch)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


	7. On Luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foggy gets some relationship advice. From a god.
> 
> Also, a shovel talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 95\. “Good luck.”

Matt shook his head as he waved Foggy off. "Good luck!" he called down the hall after him.

Matt's place was closer to the office than Foggy's; he'd shaken his head and laughed when Foggy rushed out the whole story, then sprayed Foggy's suit with some inoffensive cologne while Foggy showered. Foggy hoped that he could get back to the office before the car arrived  _ without _ ruining the effort of cleaning up.

He hustled up the street, spotting a black sedan idling in front of the door to the stairs. Foggy took this as a sign to pause to take a deep breath and smooth down the tie Matt insisted he borrow. Just as he was about to walk up and knock on the window, his phone rang.

"I'm here," Foggy reported as he answered. "I mean, on the street; not upstairs."

"Oh, okay, it's fine," Darcy said. She sounded out of sorts. "Hey, sorry for the short notice, but Jane just told me you're going to have company on the way to the restaurant."

That sounded ominous. "Company?"

"Yeah, uh... sorry. Thor jumped in the car before the driver left. I guess he wants to talk to you?"

Definitely ominous. "Okay, uh... no problem."

"Just..." Darcy sighed. "Don't be intimidated. I know he's huge and a literal god and he could crush us all with a whim and everything, but he's really just a big softy, and plus Jane made him leave Mew Mew here, so you should be okay."

Foggy swallowed nervously. "Right."

"So, um, yeah. That's all. Good luck!"

And she hung up.

As Foggy cautiously approached, the back door of the sedan swung open.

"Mr. Nelson," a jovial voice called from the back seat.

"Mr... Odinson?" Foggy returned, peering inside. The Norse Wonder was jammed behind the driver's seat, but he still managed to look like he could snap Foggy in half.

"Join me."

Foggy slid inside and pulled the door shut behind him, and Thor ordered, "Onward." 

The car moved into the street as though voice controlled, even though Foggy could see the top of a chauffeur's hat through the dark glass that separated the front seat from the back.

"So," Thor began. "You are enamored of our Darcy."

Foggy nodded, feeling like he was being cross examined by his least favorite professor all over again. "Yeah—Yes. Sir."

Thor laughed, and it was scarier than if he'd scowled. "No need for formality, Franklin. Or—our Darcy calls you... 'Foggy,' does she not?"

"That's right." Foggy nodded. "She gave me that nickname when—when we met. At theater camp in high school."

"Ah, yes, I recall the tale," Thor said, a knowing smile playing around his lips.

Foggy frowned. She'd told her super heroes how they met? ...She'd told her super heroes  _ about him _ ?

"A friendship formed in adversity. When her allies had abandoned her, you treated her with respect, valued her opinions, and, I believe—" Thor coughed delicately. "—made her 'brain foggy.'"

Foggy chuckled. "Yeah. Yeah, that's true."

"She has been rather busy with many different things lately," Thor observed, glancing aside at Foggy. "Perhaps... she has been spreading herself too thin. I understand that she spends her time away from Jane at your office, designing a digital file system, is that correct?"

"Yes, she's... invaluable," Foggy said. "If it weren't for her, we—"

"I understand you have injured her heart," Thor interrupted.

"I..." Foggy began. "I have. I hope I can fix it, though. Not her heart—but my mistake. I said some stupid things when really I should have just been patient. She's really important to all that stuff at Avengers Tower, and I just... missed her. I was stupid."

"You may not be the only one," Thor admitted, patting Foggy on the shoulder with one gigantic godly hand. "Perhaps it was also the fault of our own selfishness; in wanting to keep Darcy to ourselves, we allowed her to neglect herself. After all, her life does not begin and end with the Avengers. You and yours understand that her time must be split." He cleared his throat. "Usually. And you do not resent her for giving more of her time to things other than yourself."

Foggy opened his mouth to fill in the as-yet-unspoken "usually," but Thor held out a hand to stop him.

"The aid she renders you," he said, "it was an excuse to spend time in your presence."

"I know, but it feels like we—"

"You need no such pretext to be together any longer, Franklin.  _ Both _ of you ought to be honest about what you want."

Foggy blinked at him, not sure if he was being threatened or given relationship advice. 

Thor clamped his hand onto Foggy's shoulder as the car came to a stop. "And should you break her heart, be assured that I will destroy you." He said it so pleasantly that Foggy  _ still _ wasn't sure if he was joking.

And then the door opened, and Darcy was standing there, arm in arm with a tiny woman Foggy could only assume was Doctor Foster.

Thor gave him a shove, and growled, "Good luck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/174789912773/on-luck)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


	8. The BS of Leveling Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foggy and Darcy agree that it's time to take their relationship to the next level.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 97\. “I’ll pick you up at the airport.”

Foggy stood on the curb and tried to muster something more than a nervous smile while Thor extricated himself from the backseat of the car.

"You must be Foggy," said the woman who was obviously Jane. She tugged Darcy over to where he was standing and held out her hand to shake.

"Doctor Foster," Foggy replied, obliging her. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

"I was just about to say the same thing," she said, smiling as she nudged Darcy with her hip. "But please call me Jane."

"You see I have brought him, and unharmed," Thor announced as he joined them. "Jane, shall we procure a table?"

"Uh, sure," Jane said, looking between Thor and Darcy.

Darcy nodded, and Jane allowed Thor to lead her away. She gave Darcy a thumbs up and mouthed something that made Darcy smile.

Foggy looked at his feet, not sure what to say first. He suddenly noticed that he'd forgotten her umbrella—he wanted to return it.

Darcy shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "So—" she began.

"I'll pick you up from the airport," Foggy blurted.

Darcy blinked. "What?"

"I mean, I..." Foggy shook his head. "I want us to be... to have the kind of relationship where we do normal stuff like pick up each other's dry cleaning and complain when the other person is working late because they're missing Netflix Night."

"And pick each other up at the airport?" Darcy asked with a smile.

"Yeah. I... Thor said we shouldn't use work as an excuse to see each other, and I think he's right."

Darcy nodded. "You got the speech too, huh?"

"With a bonus shovel talk," Foggy said, laughing. He reached out and took her hand, and she smiled up at him.

"Be my girlfriend?"

Darcy pressed her lips together, her smile growing, and nodded. "You should be allowed to complain when I put my job before our relationship."

Foggy shook his head. "Nope," he said. "The rules for casually dating and being in a serious relationship are different, and when you go from one to the other you get a reset. Anything stupid either of us did is erased."

Darcy raised her eyebrow, but she was still smiling. "Sounds like BS to me," she said.

"I had to take a whole class on it at Columbia," Foggy BSed.

Darcy laughed. "How about we both agree we were jerks and forgive each other and go from there?"

"Sounds way more legitimate than whatever I was saying," Foggy agreed. 

Darcy rolled her eyes fondly and stepped closer to him, snuggling up to him and putting her head on his chest. Foggy let out a sigh of relief at the feeling of having her in his arms again.

"I forgot your umbrella," he felt safe enough to admit.

"It's okay, I can get it later," Darcy told him, and tilted her head up to kiss him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/174853027153/the-bs-of-leveling-up)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


	9. Brownies and You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foggy comes home to brownies. And Darcy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 98\. “Take a deep breath.”

Darcy took a deep breath and stretched.

She rubbed her eyes and focused on the pre-afternoon light filtering through Foggy's curtains. It had been a really long time since she had slept in so late, but she and Foggy had stayed up into the wee hours the night before (talking and doing... other things), so she decided that she was entitled.

Thor had whisked Jane off on vacation and had admonished Darcy to take some time to "recuperate herself" as well. Darcy estimated that she had a couple more days of work to finish the project she was working on at Nelson & Murdock and then maybe another half day to re-conference-ify their conference room. That would still give her several days off to just lounge around before Jane returned.

She smiled up at the ceiling. Maybe she'd go pick up Foggy's dry cleaning.

But first, a shower.

Darcy took her time bathing, making coffee, and hunting around in Foggy's kitchen to see if he had enough ingredients to make brownies. He didn't, so she went out and picked some up, then deliberated on what to order for dinner as she mixed them up.

The brownies still had five minutes to go in the oven when the door to the apartment opened and Foggy walked in.

"I'm home," he called, and Darcy grinned as she rolled her eyes.

"Did you have a good day, dear?" she asked, saccharine dripping from her words.

"Yeah, let's not," Foggy agreed. "The way you say that makes it sound like a Twilight Zone episode."

Darcy laughed and stood, stretching up to put her arms around his neck. "Take a deep breath," she said.

"Mmm, brownies," Foggy noticed.

"That's not why," Darcy told him, and proceeded to kiss the breath out of him.

"I think I could get used to this whole 'serious relationship' thing," Foggy said as soon as he could breathe again. "I come home to brownies and... you? It's a pretty sweet deal."

"Well, it won't always be brownies. But I'll be around."

Foggy smiled. "That's more than enough."

"But you still want brownies, right?" Darcy asked.

"Well yeah, eventually," Foggy replied. "Take a deep breath."

He kissed her until the timer went off for the brownies. She shook her head to clear it of post-kiss fog and went to get them.

Foggy and brownies? She could get used to this whole 'serious relationship' thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/174886936788/brownies-and-you)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


	10. Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foggy became a lawyer to help people, but he didn't know it would be like _this_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 99\. “Be careful.”

"Where have  _ you _ been?" Matt asked, the smirk on his face letting Foggy knew exactly where he'd been but just wanted to hear Foggy say it.

So Foggy answered, "Networking," in a very confident tone that Matt 'saw' right through.

"Is that what they're calling it these days?" Matt replied, smoothing his tie as the jury entered.

"There may have been some other things, but I did give my card to Pepper Potts," Foggy whispered.

Matt frowned. "Stark Industries? But I thought corporate law wasn't what you—"

Foggy nudged him as the bailiff called out the judge's entrance. "I know, but the fact remains that I gave her my card, so the visit to Avengers Tower counts as networking."

Matt pushed out an amused breath and smiled with a shake of his head as they stood.

Foggy knew he should banish his own smile and be a little bit more lawyerly. Composed. Confident. But it was difficult. 

He kept thinking about the night before. Sure, he’d finally stayed over at Darcy’s place and met a few of the world’s greatest heroes, but what occupied his mind was Darcy: waking up with her that morning, holding her hand while sharing a cab back to the office, and the look in her eyes when she'd sent him off to court with a whispered, "Be careful."

Of course he would be careful. And anyway, the case was open and shut. As Matt told the jury that, Foggy put on his lawyer face, straightening papers they would need and giving an encouraging look to their client.

And just as Matt had finished his opening statement, the defendant, who had until then been sitting uneasily, looking greasy even in his fancy suit, stood. He let out a roar and dived across his lawyer at Foggy, who didn't have time to react in any other way than to flinch away. This had the added bonus of shielding their client, who let out a frightened squeak and clutched onto Foggy's jacket.

Matt's cane snapped out, tripping the crazed man and giving the bailiff and the few other members of security time to intercept him. 

* * *

"Heroes, the both of you! I can never thank you enough!" their client gushed, back at the office. "If I'd known I was hiring bodyguards and lawyers all in one, well... I still wouldn’t have enough to pay you, but—"

"Don't worry about it," Matt said, laughing bashfully and patting their shoulder. He pulled them aside to explain a little more about what they could expect to happen next.

Karen and Darcy beamed at Foggy. "I decided to be a lawyer to help people, but I didn't think it'd be like this," he admitted.

"It's a good thing you were there!" Karen said, as Darcy curled her hand around Foggy's arm. 

Matt bade the client goodbye and headed for his office. Karen pressed her lips together and gave the two them a knowing look before stepping back over to her desk.

Darcy tugged Foggy into the conference room. "It's a good thing I told you to be careful before you left," she said.

Foggy laughed, and kissed her. "My hero."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/174917156263/heroes)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


	11. Date Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy deals with Foggy Withdrawal by taking Date Night to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “I love you.”

 

Client's running late

You may have to eat the sushi by yourself

I mean

more for me

but do you wanna reschedule?

I don't know if I'll be able to

As much as I hate to admit it, we might have to wait for next week.

:(

I know

I feel the same way

I'll text you later if it's worth it to even hit Josie's, okay?

Darcy was going through Foggy Withdrawal. She knew it, and she fully admitted it. She tried not to let it get in the way of what Jane was working on, or what Tony was working on, or what any of the other R&D people were working on, but judging by the intervention they had staged for her in the break room, she obviously hadn't been trying _that_ hard.

"Darcy," Tony began, setting his hands on her shoulders in a fatherly fashion that didn't suit him at all. "You need to go."

"Go?" she echoed.

He nodded. "Leave, and don't come back until you get laid."

"Tony," Jane admonished, then turned back to Darcy. "Darcy, we know that Foggy's been busy with work, but you need to spend some time with him. Even if he's too busy to spend it the way you'd want to, you should at least be in the same room with him.”

Jennings, one of the lab techs, nudged Jane, and she gently added, "Because if you don't, we're not going to want to be in the same room with you."

"Aw, harsh," Darcy replied, pouting at Jane and shooting a death glare at Jennings, who ducked ineffectually behind Jane's diminutive form.

"Harsh but true," Tony agreed, and turned her in the direction of Hell's Kitchen. "Try pushing him behind the counselor's cabin; I've heard that works pretty well."

Darcy rolled her eyes and went.

* * *

Karen looked up in alarm when Darcy opened the door of the office. "Oh thank god," she said, running over to help with the bags of takeout Darcy was toting. "It's not that I don't love the fact that we have actual business right now, but I am _so_ ready for this day to be over."

"You could... I don't want to say 'go home early,' because it's past 7 pm, but, y'know, earli _er_? Than them?" Darcy suggested, thumbing at the conference room where Matt and Foggy were speaking with some clients.

Karen sighed. "I could, but if I go home, all I'll do is lay in my bed thinking about how much I could be getting done if I were here."

"Well, I guess you made the right choice tonight," Darcy said, opening the bag to show Karen what was inside.

"I love you, Darcy," Karen confessed.

"There's a shrimp tempura roll in there that's all for you," Darcy whispered.

"Marry me," Karen moaned.

"Sorry, Foggy has dibs," she told her.

On cue, the conference room door opened, and while the lawyers escorted their client to the exit, Darcy and Karen got everything laid out on the table in the conference room.

"Sushi?" Matt asked when he returned. "Darcy, it smells amazing."

"The tuna sashimi is for Matt!" Darcy sang, taking a seat in the middle of the action.

"You're a goddess," Matt told her.

"Sushi goddess, I'll take that," Darcy replied, leaning up to catch Foggy's kiss with her lips instead of her forehead where he'd aimed it.

"What are you doing here?" Foggy asked, as she handed him a box. "Other than bringing me three spicy tuna rolls with extra wasabi. You're perfect. You're a perfect person."

"Marry her, Foggy," Karen advised. "She already turned me down."

"Quit hitting on my extremely serious girlfriend," Foggy told her. "I don't know if you've heard, but she's taken."

"Are you sure, Darcy?" Karen asked. "We would make a great couple. I'd make you breakfast in bed."

"Foggy did that once," Darcy said.

"I did?"

"Yeah, you brought me cake at 4 am, after you—" Darcy paused, blushing, and Matt cleared his throat.

"Cake counts?" Foggy asked.

"I say it counts, so it does."

"I brought her breakfast in bed once," Foggy told Karen, who laughed.

"Well," Karen said, after thinking about it for a minute, "I'd just tell you I missed you if I missed you."

"He's getting better at that," Darcy said, interceding on Foggy's behalf as she reached for a piece of caterpillar roll. "And what do you think _this_ is? I was going through withdrawal just like he did. But we’re better at these kinds of things now.”

"Sushi is definitely a better coping mechanism than alcohol," he said. "Is there more soy sauce over there?"

Matt tossed him a packet, then said, "Sorry for stealing your date night, Darcy. And thank you for dinner."

Karen gasped and nearly choked on her sushi. "This is your _date night_?" She whacked Matt on the arm. "We could've eaten in your office, or... or left them alone! Why didn't you say something?"

"I did," Matt laughed, rubbing his arm. "Just now."

"It's fine," Foggy said, waving a hand. "With my charm and good looks, I'm pretty confident I can get her to come home with me."

Darcy raised her eyebrows. "I dunno, Karen's sitting right over there. And she looks pretty great today. I'd say at this point it's anybody's game."

"Nah," Foggy said, still confident. "There's no way she loves you as much as I do."

Darcy blinked. "You love me?"

Matt stood noisily, abandoning his sashimi, and prodded Karen, who was staring at Darcy and Foggy with wide eyes. She glanced at him, cleared her throat, and got up as well.

"We're gonna go get some drinks," Matt said, and pulled Karen out of the conference room.

"Yeah," Foggy replied, looking confused at Matt and Karen's exit from the office. "I told you a couple of weeks ago, when you stayed over at my place."

"When I—" Darcy began, then shook her head. "During foreplay doesn't _count_ , Benjamin Franklin. Didn't you wonder why I didn't say it back?"

"Not really. I mean, we were kinda busy."

"Yep," Darcy agreed. "Too busy for important conversations. Not that, 'oh god yes, Foggy, don't stop' isn't an important conversation."

He tilted his head, considering her words. "Okay, then." Setting his dinner off to the side, he took her hand. "I love you, Georgiana Darcy."

Darcy laughed. "And I love you, Benjamin Franklin."

"It's 'Foggy,'" he corrected.

"I dunno," Darcy said with a smirk. "That's really the kind of title you have to _earn_."

So he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/174947903428/date-night)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


End file.
